Kevin Garnett collected 20 points and 10 rebounds and Sam
Mitchell added 19 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves clinched
seventh place in the Western Conference with a 102-95 victory
over the Houston Rockets.

Anthony Peeler added 18 points for the Timberwolves (44-37), who
never trailed and beat the Rockets for the third time in four
games this season. Minnesota will play either Seattle, Utah or
the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

"We feel good. We came out and played aggressive basketball,"
Peeler said. "When they came out and started a run, we would
come back and respond. That's one of the joys of basketball."

Kevin Willis scored 22 points and Clyde Drexler added 21 for the
Rockets (41-40), who were relegated to eighth place in the West
and will face the conference's best team in the first round.

"We have no excuses for our season," Houston's Hakeem Olajuown
said. "We are much better than our record. There are very
solid teams on top of our conference. It won't matter who we
face."

Mitchell scored six points as Minnesota opened the game with a
12-1 burst. Garnett, Mitchell and Tom Hammonds scored six points
apiece in the first period, which ended with the Wolves holding
a 24-17 lead.

"It means a lot for this franchise to get 44 wins and make the
postseason again," said Garnett. "Last year we made moves and
this year we made moves. We've made a real statement, it's been
great."

Led by Olajuwon, who scored 10 of his 20 points in the
second quarter, the Rockets pulled within two points on two
occasions. But Peeler's nine points allowed Minnesota to open a
47-40 halftime lead.

Mitchell scored seven points in the third quarter, including a
three-point play that gave the Wolves a 56-46 lead with 8:02 to
play in the period. Minnesota entered the fourth quarter with a
74-67 advantage.

Two free throws by Garnett gave the Wolves a 97-86 lead with
2:43 to play. A layup by Drexler cut the deficit to 97-93 with
1:14 left and Minnesota's Terry Porter missed a technical foul
shot. But Matt Maloney and Drexler missed three-pointers and
Mitchell sealed it with a three-pointer with nine seconds to go.

Porter scored 14 points, Hammonds added 12 and Stephon Marbury
added 11 and 12 assists for the Wolves, who shot 43 percent
(37-of-86) from the field and held a 48-35 rebounding advantage.
Minnesota made 24-of-26 free throws, setting a team record for
best single-game percentage (92.3).

Olajuwon grabbed 10 rebounds and Maloney and Mario Elie scored
eight points for the Rockets, who shot 45 percent (39-of-87) but
were just 5-of-23 from three-point range.

Elie collided with referee Bennett Salvatore late in the first
half, knocking him into the scorers' table. Salvatore worked
the rest of the half but did not return, leaving Luis Grillo and
Violet Palmer to work the game. Salvatore appeared to suffer an
injury to his chest and rib area.